Apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components

Abstract: An apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components includes a first housing portion having a first support, and a second housing portion having a second support. The apparatus further includes an elastomeric isolating member being secured between the first support and the second support so as to position the isolating member within the apparatus. Moreover, the apparatus further includes a base upon which electronic components are mounted, the base being attached to the elastomeric isolating member.

Description: The present invention relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly to an apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components. Portable computers are becoming increasingly popular. Use of a portable computer typically involves transporting the computer from a storage site to a remote operating site and then back to the storage site. With the increase in mobility of the portable computer, there is an increase in potential for damage to the computer due to mechanical shock inadvertently applied to the device during its transportation. For example, much damage may be inflicted upon a portable computer by dropping the computer to the ground from a height of a few feet. An article entitled "Packaging the computer for rough service", published in Electronic Packaging and Production, vol. 33, no. 9, September 1993, Massachusetts US, pages 30-32, XP413176, Hoyle describes an apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components. However, this article does not disclose a housing having first and second supports for engaging with grooves in opposite sides of an elastomeric support. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components. According to the invention an apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components, including a housing, a base upon which electronic components are mounted, an elastomeric support means positioned within said housing and connected thereto, a portion of said base being secured to said elastomeric support means is characterised in that said housing incorporates a first housing portion having a first support and a second housing portion having a second support, said elastomeric support means incorporating a first groove in the peripheral edge thereof formed so as to receive a correspondingly shaped portion of said base, and incorporating a second groove in a first side thereof, wherein a distal end of said first support is positionable within said second groove, and incorporating a third groove defined in a second side thereof, wherein a distal end of said second support is positionable within said third groove. An embodiment of the present invention is described below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components which incorporates the features of the present invention therein; FIG. 2A is a fragmentary perspective view of the base which supports electronic components thereon with the base shown attached to the grommet; FIG. 2B is a fragmentary perspective view of the base and grommet of FIG. 2A with the grommet shown separated from the base for clarity of description; and FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the containing and supporting apparatus of FIG. 1 with the grommet shown positioned within the grommet receptacle. Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an apparatus for containing and supporting electronic components, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 includes a housing 12 and a base 14. The housing 12 includes an upper housing portion 16 and a lower housing portion 18. The specific structure of each of the housing portions 16 and 18 are not shown in detail in the FIGS. but may include a substrate with an overmold material positioned over the substrate and secured thereto . By way of example, the substrate may be made from a modified nylon material such as Noryl, a trademark of General Electric Company of Fairfield, Connecticut. Also by way of example, the overmold material may be made of a thermoplastic elastomer such as Krayton, a trademark of Shell Oil Company of Houston, Texas. The base 14 is a printed circuit board having electrical components (not shown) mounted thereon. Moreover, a liquid crystal display and digitizer input device 20 is secured to the base 14. The upper housing portion 16 includes a clip 24 for holding a stylus (not shown) used to input information on the display and input device 20. A plurality of grommets or isolating members 22 are secured to the base 14. Each of the grommets 22 are made from an elastomeric material. By way of example, one elastomeric material which may be used is a material available as model no. VL-03 (high impact absorbing material) from EAR Specialty Composite, Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana. Another elastomeric material which may be used is Scotchdamp, a trademark of 3M Corporation of St. Paul, Minnesota and available as model no. SJ2015X. As further shown in FIG. 1, the upper housing portion 16 includes a plurality of first support members 26 and the lower housing portion 18 includes a plurality of second support members 28. Each of the first support members 26 extends away from the upper housing portion 16 and terminates at a distal end. A nut 40 is friction fit in the interior of each of the first support members 26 (see FIG. 3). Each of the second support members 28 extends away from the lower housing portion 18 and terminates at a distal end. When the housing portions 16 and 18 are positioned relative to each other so as to contain the base 14 (see FIG. 3), the plurality of first support members 26 cooperate with the plurality of second support members 28 so as to form a plurality of grommet or isolator receptacles 30 within the housing 12. One such grommet receptacle 30 is shown in FIG 3. The upper housing portion 16 has an opening defined therein as shown in FIG. 1. Also, when the housing portions 16 and 18 are positioned relative to each other so as to contain the base 14 (see FIG. 3), the display and input device 20 is accessible to a user for viewing and inputting data. FIG. 2A shows grommet 22 attached to a portion of base 14. FIG. 2B shows the grommet 22 separated from the portion of the base 14 for clarity of description. Each of the plurality of grommets 22 are similar in construction and therefore only one will be described in detail. The grommet 22 has a substantially annular shape so as to define a central passage or bore 31, a peripheral edge portion 32, a first side 34 and a second side 36. The peripheral edge portion 32 has a first groove defined therein, the first side 34 has a second groove defined therein, and the second side 36 has a third groove defined therein as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3. The base 14 has a plurality of apertures 38 defined therein. Each of the plurality of apertures 38 are similar in construction and thus only one will be discussed in detail. One such aperture is shown in FIG. 2B. The aperture 38 exposes an inner edge around the periphery thereof. The inner edge defined by the aperture 38 is positionable in the first groove defined in the peripheral edge portion 32 of the grommet 22 so as to secure the portion of the base 14 to the grommet 22 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3. FIG. 3 shows the grommet 22 positioned within the grommet receptacle 30. When the grommet 22 is positioned as above, the distal end of the first support member 26 is positioned in the second groove of the first side 34 of grommet 22, and further, the distal end of the second support member 28 is positioned in the third groove of the second side 36 of grommet 22. A screw 42 extends through the central passage 31 of grommet 22 and meshingly engages the nut 40 so as to secure the upper housing portion 16 to the lower housing portion 18. The other of the plurality of grommets 22 are similarly positioned within the other of the plurality of grommet receptacles. A protective bumper seal 17 is interposed between the upper housing portion 16 and the lower housing portion 18 and further extends outwardly from the housing 12 as shown in FIG. 3. The protective bumper seal 17 extends entirely around the periphery of the containing and supporting apparatus 10. The protective bumper seal 17 is made from a silicone rubber material. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention has the advantage that is is both rugged and easy and inexpensive to assemble.

Claims: An apparatus (10) for containing and supporting electronic components, including a housing (12), a base (14) upon which electronic components are mounted, an elastomeric support means (22) positioned within said housing (12) and connected thereto, a portion of said base (14) being secured to said elastomeric support means (22) is characterised in that said housing (12) incorporates a first housing portion (16) having a first support (26) and a second housing portion (18) having a second support (28), said elastomeric support means (22) incorporating a first groove in the peripheral edge (32) thereof formed so as to receive a correspondingly shaped portion of said base (14), and incorporating a second groove in a first side (34) thereof, wherein a distal end of said first support (26) is positionable within said second groove, and incorporating a third groove defined in a second side (36) thereof, wherein a distal end of said second support (28) is positionable within said third groove. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that said base (14) incorporates an aperture (38) therein that exposes an inner edge, said inner edge being positionable within said first groove in said elastomeric support means (22). An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the first housing portion (16), the base (14) and the second housing portion (18) all include a correspondingly positioned bore (31) which receives a locking means (42), so as to lockably connect the first housing portion (16), the base (14) and the second housing portion (18). An apparatus according to claim 3, characterised in that the locking means (42) is formed so as to provide a friction fit in the bore (31) in the elastomeric support means (22).

Inventors: CROCKETT ROBERT J, CROCKETT, ROBERT J.
Applicants: NCR INT INC, NCR INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G06F15
IPC codes: H05K7, G06F1